Hugh Hefner, Founder Of Playboy, Dead At 91

Playboy founder and legendary ladies’ man Hugh Hefner has died at the age of 91, according to Playboy Enterprises.

The magazine said he was surrounded by loved ones and “peacefully passed away today from natural causes at his home.”

“My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom,” Hefner’s son Cooper said in a statement. “He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history. He will be greatly missed by many.”

Hefner’s dream of running his own magazine began while he was working as a copy editor at Esquire in 1952, and the following year he secured enough funding to launch Playboy.

The December 1953 inaugural issue featured none other than Marilyn Monroe as its cover girl, and the magazine would go on to become a multibillion-dollar empire ― including TV series, websites, DVDs and endless licensed merchandise ― and one of the most recognizable brands in the world.

In the 1960s, Hefner became the public face of the company and was known for his smoking jacket, his pipe and the assurance that wherever he was, a bevy of beautiful women surrounded him. He launched a series of private key clubs that he staffed with hostesses known as Bunnies for their now-iconic uniforms that included ears and a tail.

Hefner was arrested in 1963 and charged with selling obscene literature after publishing nude photos of actress Jayne Mansfield. The charges were dropped after a jury was unable to reach a verdict, but the experience led Hefner to launch the Playboy Foundation, which provided funding to groups researching human sexuality and fighting censorship.

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Playboy editor and tycoon Hugh Hefner is greeted by a group of Bunnies from his Playboy Clubs as he arrives in London in 1966. (Dove via Getty Images)

Hefner took the company public in 1971, but by the mid-’70s, the magazine was facing more competition with the arrival of hardcore publications such as Penthouse, and circulation began to fall. In response, the magazine released its first full-frontal nude centerfold in January 1972, featuring model Marilyn Cole.

“I survived a stroke two weeks ago,” Hefner said in a statement. “My recovery is total and something of a miracle. What has happened is actually a ‘stroke of luck’ that I fully expect will change the direction of my life.”

He handed over his empire to daughter Christie, who had been president of Playboy Enterprises since 1982. She began running the company as chairman of the board and CEO in 1988.

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Hugh Hefner with his daughter Christie Hefner at the re-opening of the Playboy Club in New York City on Oct. 29, 1985. (Yvonne Hemsey via Getty Images)

In 2009, Scott Flanders replaced Hefner’s daughter as CEO and Playboy Enterprises Inc. began to make a radical shift focusing on its branding potential and licensing opportunities.

In that same article, THR broached the subject of death, but it was not something Hefner ever talked about, a close colleague said. Hefner said he was not afraid of death and had no faith in any afterlife. And his death wasn’t just a subject that Hefner avoided ― at the time, the company hadn’t thought about it either.

Hugh Hefner, Marsden Hefner and wife Kimberly Conrad at the Playboy Playmate of the Year Celebration on April 25, 1991. (Ron Galella via Getty Images)

During his 12-year separation from Conrad, Hefner had relationships with many of the young models featured in his magazine, including twin sisters Sandy and Mandy Bentley, and even dated seven women at once. His concurrent relationships with Playboy Playmates Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson were featured on the reality series "The Girls Next Door."

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Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson. The reality series "The Girls Next Door" followed Hefner's relationships with the three women. (Denise Truscello via Getty Images)

Also last year, the Playboy Mansion, the iconic 5-acre, 29-room West Los Angeles estate owned by Playboy Enterprises, sold for $100 million, with one catch: Hefner asked that he be allowed to continue living and working there until his death.

In an interview for Larry King’s 2004 book, “Remember Me When I’m Gone,” Hefner shared his thoughts on his legacy at Playboy and beyond.

“I’d like to be remembered as someone who played some part in changing our hurtful and hypocritical views on sex ― and had a lot of fun doing it.”

Hefner is survived by his wife, Crystal, and his children Cooper, Christie, Marston and David.